Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: supernova77 on March 29, 2010, 07:05:42 pm
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How many of you guys push interior window cleaning?
With the bad weather we've had over the past few months I've been trying to push it a bit more.
I'm actually thinking of canvassing an interior window cleaning round, offering it on a 6 monthly basis... I know a lot of WFP only window cleaners will never touch the insides...
Andy
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nothing to lose i guess.
we always offer to do the insides - prob is some customers think its only a few quid more.
i just charge the same as the out and always make sure that the window area is totally clear - insides can take twice as long as the out sometimes.
may pick up the odd few but i cant see too many bothering - on the other hand with more wc saying no to the insides you may get lucky.
cant understand why some wc wont/cant clean the insides - cleary cant do much/any commercial jobs.
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i put it on the back of my windows cleaned ticket. and do it by appointment unless its a small job i will just do it straight away. what i normally do is book one in on the way home after 4 when most folks are in it can add a few quid to your takings when i would normally have finished for the day
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i hate doing internal domestic work.
No matter how many times you ask them to clear ALL window sill's, there is always something in the way >:(
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nothing to lose i guess.
we always offer to do the insides - prob is some customers think its only a few quid more.
i just charge the same as the out and always make sure that the window area is totally clear - insides can take twice as long as the out sometimes.
may pick up the odd few but i cant see too many bothering - on the other hand with more wc saying no to the insides you may get lucky.
cant understand why some wc wont/cant clean the insides - cleary cant do much/any commercial jobs.
A friend of mine got accused of stealing money whilst cleaning windows inside. For that reason, I steer well clear!
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Hi Andy,
I've thought about it, but the hourly rate is so poor.Yes it's a great opportunity for a market that's under serviced but i think it needs someone really clever to pull it off.The margin to use employees is not there, and you end up working for a much lower rate.
I do a big house-£60-, she said get some marks off these windows i know i'll have to pay more. It was one big glass section and i couldn't use water because of drips.I rubbed it with a dry applicater on a pole, and to get the bits where labels had been had to use water.One of those dragonfly things would have been perfect but i haven't got one.When i'd finished it wasn't perfect but better.It took ages.
I added £20 which barely covered it. Exclamations of"How much?" etc.
I explain to customers that when i clean the outsides i am using a machine and it is very fast and very good.(hot wfp), that's why i can perform miracles at a very low price, but on insides this is not the case.
I agree with you and know i could build a fabulous specialist round just like you describe, but the wage would be just that a wage.I do have a couple of tricks, such as an electric tooth brush on those black bit's at the frames edges where condensation has left dirt, and i can achieve in minutes what would take them hours.But the customers are very seldom grateful for this.
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I'm actually thinking of canvassing an interior window cleaning round
Hi andy i do this already, All depends on which way you want to go with it.
(1) do it as an add on when customer at home or arrange to do it when they are in
(2) sell it as the same way as you do for your normal window cleaning if they are in or not
(1)I felt was a pane ok to do if they were in, but hard to arrange a day to suit both you and the customer
(2) Is what i do, firstly got to get the trust of the customer this should not be to hard if you have been doing there windows for some time although when you tell them it will be on a keyholder basis some are reluctant understandable
Can take a bit of time to get up and running but as you say ideal for rainy days
Ok how i try to run things is if it is going to rain mon/tue i will do them then, just as you would do your exteranls on dry days
it works the same way as your externals 4/8/12 weekly well this is how i do it my aim was to get 640 internals a month 40 for each of us 20 a day for 2 days a week could do more but you are not as quick as doing externals as you will be moving things of window sills so customers will remove them for you if they know you are coming next day some forget
I normally text them to let them know if i will be round next day, gives them a chance to clear things away
i dont collect on the internals when i text them to let them know i will be round they leave the money at an agreed place inside the house
price wise they are all different depends if you have to move things about to get to windows as some have beds close to windows and some with blinds and curtains
oh and there are the ones with the dog dont forget they are there not be the first time i have walked into a house and almost lost my hand customer forgot to lock it in a room
it is a good earner as i find a lot of women hate doing windows even more so if they are at work all week
now is the time for new customers as a lot want them done for easter and you get the xmas rush as well andy it can be good as soon as you build up that trust with your existing customers they will recommend you to others.
I have my sister doing some for me customers seem to be more relaxed with a women in the house when they are not in it just runs the same way as domestic cleaners would do
Remember though as it is key holding you will need keyholders insurance because you will have a lot of keys
Good thing for me is i myself are not far away from working 5 days a week for 48 weeks of the year it is a hard push but it is the trust thing that makes it harder to build than an external round customers will have a laugh and a joke with you but to hand you the keys to their house when they are not in is a lot of trust,
i got myself an enhanced disclosure to give me i hope a better chance to get new customers as with most of this type of work you would need one if you were to work for an employer legal requirement these days
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i hate doing internal domestic work.
No matter how many times you ask them to clear ALL window sill's, there is always something in the way >:(
as above ;) like zamo said....." just say no " lol ;D
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i hate doing insides as well.i charge double!that normally puts them off!if not then your quids in!!! ;) ;D
i would never ever mess about getting keys and extra insurance just for inside work.plenty of outside work.NO NEED!!! ;D ;D ;D
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I know what you are saying dazmond but its for those days when you cant get to do the outsides
keeps you going all through the winter! would rather have 2 days earnings than none at all!
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i do a fair few now, i just do them trad like the way i used to outside before i went wfp. i am tempted to use a spray bottle with pure water in it like some people say. one of my biggest jobs to date involved doing the insides, it also had secondary glazing and they wanted both sides of it doing as well as the normal windows, i priced it well and got it so i was happy
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I just do them trad ste m but as you say i use pure water!
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I had a few asking me to do insides,always refused,I am a newbie water fed pole cleaner,and to be honest I could not trad for jack,But I got a hairdressers insides and out(It came to me,i never went looking!) anyway i was getting really worried about doing the insides,but wally the window washer posted a link to a video he had made,and after watching it a few time(best trad video on youtube IMO) i was cleaning my house windows trad to a pretty good standard at an acceptable speed ( compared to how slow i was before).Well for personal reasons i dumped the hairdressers after first clean (my kids come before having to do a job on a set time and day/days).
Anyway this little palarva gave me the confidence to offer insides when asked,I did a full house (20 odd windows) and a big con clean in and out including con roof in and out last week.Was ok but,I asked for everything to be moved out of windows and conny,but they only moved bits and i ended up moving stuff round as i cleaned,right ball ache,but she wants them doing every 3 months or so (not con roof thank god).So if someone asks again i will do it,but charge at least 1.5 times external price.She got it cheap at £80 for the lot,and she nearly fainted at that,its only cos i know her she got away with it,should of been £120
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I just do them trad ste m but as you say i use pure water!
so just pure water and no chemicals at all? id usually just put some squeegee off in as norm
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Yes just a little soap not much!
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cheers james, i always thought people just used pure by itself on the interiors
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Thanks for your post James44 :)
I do a lot of insides already... And from a lot of comments on this thread it seems like there is a market for it.
I know you have to agree a day and time (unless you hold a key) with customers but so do carpet cleaners, plumbers, electricians, chimney sweeps etc...
I just think its great added income for those rainy days and snowy weeks ;)
Andy
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I have a steady number every 3 months main inside of cons.
Mart.
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hi andy when i first started to do insides i would do them over the weekend and as easycleaner has said you get to do the inside of the cons as well so it is worth while!
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Hi All,
I just thought I would resurrect this thread...
I'm going to prepare for the next winter by pushing interior window cleaning... I'm not only going to push it to my existing customers but I'm going to market it throughout my local areas and charge a premium for the work as they will all be one-off jobs.
So, probably from late october onwards I will canvass for interior work and market myself as "Inside Shine", I've just registered the domain name "insideshine.co.uk"...
Your thoughts?
Andy
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What do you guys think of my Inside Shine logo:
(http://www.southerncleaningservices.co.uk/images/insideshine.jpg)
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Andy dont mind me asking but how many customers do you have?
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Andy dont mind me asking but how many customers do you have?
Hi James,
I have 215.
Andy
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Ok good logo by the way!
Try and sell this new service to you existing customers
What i did i spoke to customers that were in to get feedback as to see if it was a service that they would be interested in,
From there i gave every customer a news letter to let them know that i was offering this new service,
I mean if you are going to expand you might as well do it within your customer base
I got about 25% of my customer base for internals most 8 weekly and some as and when i have at the moment 67 internals i need 80 a month i am doing 10 a day that is glass and frames earns me £150 a day for 2 days a week=£300
I all so do a morning job which only pays £105 a week for 3 hrs a morning but added to the £300 for the internals gives me £405 a week even if i cant get out to do any externals which i do 75 a week earns me another£450 so on a good week i earn £855 and a bad week £405
The £105 job is crap money but what a life saver it was this winter, i put the money away every week and did not touch it and gave me over£2500 to get me through, when i have more externals i can give that one up,
any way for every 10 new customers that i take on i try and get at least 2 for internals as well
So doing internals can keep your head above water and you dont have to rely on the weather it is harder to get going than it is for externals but you dont have to worry about the weather.
ps. if you need any help in what to use for internal cleans you only have to ask!
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James,
Thanks for the info.
I will be offering my existing customers the service to... But closer to the winter time. I do actually already do a fair few interior cleans when my customers ask.
I figure that if I can get other interior only customers then I can charge a premium which in turn means I will need less interior customers to make decent ££
Andy
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I figure that if I can get other interior only customers then I can charge a premium which in turn means I will need less interior customers to make decent ££
This is not so easy to do as i have found out!
Problem is if they do want their internals done there are more likely to offer this to their existing window cleaner and not you!
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Problem is if they do want their internals done there are more likely to offer this to their existing window cleaner and not you!
A lot of WFP window cleaners dont do insides... I have gained a fair few customers over the last couple of years because their old window cleaner said no to insides...
Andy
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Good point andy and a lot of the new breed of wfpolers cant trad so well worth going for it!
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and a lot of the new breed of wfpolers cant trad so well worth going for it!
Exactly ;)
Also... I'm only going to be targeting large houses!
Andy